Door and gate latch



April 17, 1956 R. THURBER DOOR AND GATE LATCH Filed April 9, 1953 KEY-1-I I I FE-3E- 1| 7 K g H INVENTOR .Fuy FAQ/Rap? ATTORNEY j United StatesPatent The object of the invention is to provide a latch for the purposeindicated which will act as an effective means for reteaining the gateor door in closed position and yet be readily releasable manually topermit opening movement of the same; to provide a latch in which theoperating parts are shielded that they may not be inadvertentlyactuated, or actuated by an animal, as is so often the case whereanimals, by use of the nose or foot may release the door or gate of theenclosure in which they are restrained; and generally to provide a latchof the kind indicated which is of simple form and therefore susceptibleof cheap manufacture.

With this object in view, the invention consists in a construction andcombination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top elevational view of the invention "shown attached to adoor or gate, the latter being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views respectively on the planes indicatedby the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Figure l.

The latching or locking member of the invention coni sists of a barwhich at one end is terminated in a applied to either leaf.

One method of mounting the shaft, that illustrated in the drawing,consists of boring the hole through the door a little full and, thenattaching to opposite sides of the door the bearing plates whichconstitute suitable bearings for the shaft which carries feeler washers16 and to the extent necessary to prevent axial movement of the shaft.The leaves 11 and 14 may be secured to the shaft in any appropriatemanner but preferably this is done by' means of taper pins 17 which areeasily releasable but which when driven home constitute an effectivemeans for retaining the leaves attached to the shaft.

The latch proper is attached to that side of thedoor constituting theleading side in the opening operation and if the door swings inwardly,the latch is on the inside, but on the outside if the door swingsoutwardly.

2,742,311 Patented Apr. 17, 1956 Shields 18 and 19 cover the leaves 11and 14 and are attached to the door by appropriate fasteners as shown at20. The shields cover the leaves only on the front but are open at thetop and bottom so that the leaves are accessible either from the top orbottom, so that the finger may be inserted behind the shield to depressor raise the leaf to release the latch in the one instance or force itinto engagement with the keeper in the other in stance as may be thecase in the event of any sluggish action.

The shield 19 is extended to the edge of the door. This extension of theshield, indicated at 22, is of reduced width as respects the shield 19but it is not open at the top or bottom, so that the latch bar iscompletely covered thereby and the extension is practically c0-extensive with the latch bar 10 and is provided with a slot 23 whichserves as a clearance slot for the latch bar so that it may engage thekeeper 24 which is attached to the jamb at right angles to the latter,the keeper having the usual rounded nose so that when it is engaged bythe latch bar, the latter will be raised to ride over the nose and tofall into the seat 25 where it will be retained and thus retain the dooror gate in closed position. i

It is obvious that the latch may be actuated from either side of thegate or door to release it, the releasing operation consisting merely ofinserting the finger down behind the shield and pressing the leaf,thereby rocking the shaft and raising the latch bar. It will only benecessary in cases of sluggish action to depress the latch and that maybe done by imparting pressure to the leaf from the underside of itsrespective shield. When such condition obtains, it is an'indication thatlubrication of the shaft is needed.

The shields 18 and 19, at their upper and lower edges, are turned in, asindicated at 26, so that they may function as handholds for opening andclosing'the door or gate.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and usefulis:

A door latch comprising a latch bar formed with a finger leaf incontinuation thereof, bearings for mounting in the door, a shaftjournalled in said bearings and having the latch bar and its attendantleaf attached thereto at one end, a leaf attached to the opposite end ofthe shaft so as to be positioned on the opposite side 'of the door fromthe latch bar, and shields on opposite sides of the door and coveringthe leaves, the shields being open at the top and bottom to permitfinger access thereat to the leaves and having in-turned edges Wherethey are open so that said shields may serve as hand grips, the shieldcovering the first-mentioned leaf having an extension substantiallycoextensive with the latch bar and enclosing the same by terminating atthe edge of the equipped door and thereat provided with a clearance slotso that the extended end of the latch bar may engage a jamb-carriedkeeper.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS67,811 Shepard et al Aug. 13, 1867 119,263 Clark Sept. 26, 1871 I156,044 Shepard et al. Oct. 20, 1874 1,446,078 Willis Feb. 20, 19231,975,511 Howland Oct. 2, 1934 2,194,408 Sluss Mar. 19, 1940

